Liverpool 3-2 Atletico Madrid: Virgil van Dijk scores yet another late winner for Reds in Champions League thriller

Virgil van Dijk scored a stoppage-time winner as Liverpool overcame an Atletico Madrid comeback to win 3-2 at Anfield.

Incredibly, Arne Slot's side have now scored the winning goal in the 83rd minute or later in each of their last five games in this remarkable start to the season. The frustrated Atletico boss Diego Simeone could not take it, sent off by the referee in the aftermath.

With all eyes on Alexander Isak, making his Liverpool debut, it was an Anfield veteran making his own first start of the season who opened the scoring. Not that he knew much about it, Andy Robertson deflecting Mohamed Salah's early free-kick into the net.

Salah had his own goal shortly afterwards to put Liverpool two up inside six minutes, leaving Simeone raging on the touchline and the supporters settling down to watch some encouraging combination play by Isak and fellow new boy Florian Wirtz.

But Marco Llorente's toe-poked finish in first-half stoppage-time put the result back in the balance to give Atletico hope and they stayed in the game until late even as Salah struck the inside of the post after good work by Wirtz. Atleti's resilience was rewarded.

Llorente's deflected leveller brought back memories of his two goals in extra time that knocked the Reds out of this competition in 2020. That one ended 3-2 to the Spanish side but this Liverpool have developed an extraordinary knack of having the final say.

Against Bournemouth it was Federico Chiesa. At Newcastle it was Rio Ngumoha. Dominik Szoboszlai did for Arsenal, Salah's penalty saw off Burnley. Add Van Dijk to the list. Five wins in a row and a dramatic start to Liverpool's Champions League campaign.

Arne Slot's side love a late winner!